FEATURES
8A
Career on cruise control?
Dear Annie: I’ve been working
at the same car dealership for ive
years, since I graduated high school.
When I started, it was just a job. I
thought I would do this and then
igure out what I really want to do.
Then I started to make some money,
and I got decent at selling. A week
turned into a month, which turned
into a year, and here I am at 23.
I got married last year, and my
wife and I now have a 6-month-
old baby girl. She is the love of my
life, and I wouldn’t trade her for the
world. But part of me regrets that I
never went to college before start-
ing a family. I don’t want to be a car
salesman my entire life.
I’d really like to pursue a degree
and study business. I am only 23
and know that I have a long way
to go, but the past ive years have
lown by so quickly, and I want to
make sure that I am not on a path I
will regret. I love my daughter and
her mother. I don’t hate my job, but
I can’t imagine doing this for the
rest of my life. What should I do?
— Stuck Salesman
Dear Stuck: Car salesmen get a
bad rap, but really, it’s not an easy
job. They have to be persistent,
quick-thinking and good with peo-
ple. If you have the inesse to be a
good car salesman, you can proba-
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
bly do pretty much anything you set
your mind to.
Look into seeking a degree
online or through a local college that
offers night classes so you can con-
tinue working and supporting your
family while laying the ground-
work for a new career path. The
U.S. News University Directory can
match you to a reputable online pro-
gram that meets your needs.
The skills you’ve honed over
the past ive years will take you
far. With real-world experience
plus a degree, you’ll be iring on all
cylinders.
Dear Annie: I have two healthy,
beautiful kids — one boy, one girl.
My daughter is 6, and she is
really into reading. She can’t wait to
go to bed and devours her nighttime
reading material. She was reading
on her own before kindergarten.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
She sounds out words and sits and
listens and igures things out.
But my son is 4 and can’t sit still.
I open a book and he gets up. When
it’s bedtime, he has zero interest in
any of the books on his bookshelf.
We’ve tried every book there is,
from Dr. Seuss to Eric Carle to Shel
Silverstein to Mo Willems.
These kids have the same genes.
How can one be so into books and
the other want nothing to do with
them? — Reading Rain-bro
Dear Reading: You’re raising
siblings, not clones. Of course they
won’t have identical aptitudes.
Although there’s no deinite
“right” age by which all kids should
be reading, it usually happens
around age 6. It sounds as if your
daughter was a bit of a prodigy.
As long as your son is in the
healthy range of his age group and
is getting a hang of the pre-read-
ing fundamentals (such as identify-
ing letters), he should be ine. Don’t
give up on trying to get him excited
about books, though. Read to him
for short periods of time to hold his
interest. Pick stories about subjects
he loves.
Your son may never be the
bookworm your daughter is, but the
bottom line is he will go to college
knowing how to read.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your life is
controlled by an extremely powerful force
— you. So why does someone seem to be
pulling the strings? One fix would be to just
to cut those strings altogether. The attach-
ments make things complicated.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Believing it’s
possible to have something big will auto-
matically increase your chances of getting
something big. So will your application of
practical solutions and daily vigilance.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Allow for the
obstacle. Spend time thinking about how
you’ll handle it when it, or its cousin obsta-
cle, finally shows up. Something will happen
and it will set you back or make you late un-
less you deal with it in the hypothetical first.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). People
show the parts of themselves they want you
to see. Your ability to see past the facade
and accurately predict a particular human
nature will make you a great leader.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Time doesn’t need
to be managed. Time does a good job of be-
ing consistent without any help. All the ac-
tivities you’re trying to stuff into those hours
— that’s where your focus can effectively
change outcomes and improve results.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’re friend-
ly and inclusive and yet still careful about
forming new friendships, because you want
to make sure you’ve the time and energy
to nurturing the relationships of your inner
circle.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The task at
hand will require equal parts restraint and
enthusiasm, a ratio you should, given your
balanced nature, hit rather easily. You’ll help
the others figure out what exactly to do and
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
how much is just right.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). By now, your
pattern is so predictable to you that you’re
astounded when those close to you don’t
seem to know what’s coming next. Shouldn’t
they pay more attention? Consider doing
something surprising to capture it.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re
the “fun one” today and this social respon-
sibility will come with phone calls, logistics
and demands on your attention that will,
luckily, be a pleasure to fulfill.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Make
moves on what you want or someone else
will; given the competitive feelings you’ve
had lately, you probably wouldn’t like how
that might go down. Use it or lose it. Put a
“ring” on it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It is said
that mediocrity only recognizes itself, while
brilliance recognizes a full spectrum of tal-
ent, intelligence and beauty in the world.
You’ll see and be seen for your unique gifts.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The line
between business and friendship will be
seemingly blurred; however, do not mistak-
enly think that this means no one is keeping
track. When it comes to money, everyone
keeps track.
WEDNESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 3).
This month brings loving support and fi-
nancial luck from the blue. Use some of it
to help your family and invest the rest in ed-
ucation. March represents another financial
high. Your connection with like-minds will
lead to powerful groups and social change.
A competitor will spur you to new heights in
December. Virgo and Libra adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 3, 20, 6, 13 and 44.